Nutrients in the nexus

Synthetic nitrogen (N) fertilizer has enabled modern agriculture to greatly improve human nutrition during the twentieth century, but it has also created unintended human health and environmental pollution challenges for the twentyfirst century. Averaged globally, about half of the fertilizer-N applied to farms is removed with the crops, while the other half remains in the soil or is lost from farmers’ fields, resulting in water and air pollution. As human population continues to grow and food security improves in the developing world, the dual development goals of producing more nutritious food with low pollution will require both technological and socioeconomic innovations in agriculture. Two case studies presented here, one in sub-Saharan Africa and the other in Midwestern United States, demonstrate how management of nutrients, water, and energy is inextricably linked in both small-scale and large-scale food production, and that science-based solutions to improve the efficiency of nutrient use can optimize food production while minimizing pollution. To achieve the needed large increases in nutrient use efficiency, however, technological developments must be accompanied by policies that recognize the complex economic and social factors affecting farmer decision-making and national policy priorities. Farmers need access to affordable nutrient supplies and support information, and the costs of improving efficiencies and avoiding pollution may need to be shared by society through innovative policies. Success will require interdisciplinary partnerships across public and private sectors, including farmers, private sector crop advisors, commodity supply chains, government agencies, university research and extension, and consumers

Nutrients in the nexus

Synthetic nitrogen (N) fertilizer has enabled modern agriculture to greatly improve human nutrition during the twentieth century, but it has also created unintended human health and environmental pollution challenges for the twentyfirst century. Averaged globally, about half of the fertilizer-N applied to farms is removed with the crops, while the other half remains in the soil or is lost from farmers’ fields, resulting in water and air pollution. As human population continues to grow and food security improves in the developing world, the dual development goals of producing more nutritious food with low pollution will require both technological and socioeconomic innovations in agriculture. Two case studies presented here, one in sub-Saharan Africa and the other in Midwestern United States, demonstrate how management of nutrients, water, and energy is inextricably linked in both small-scale and large-scale food production, and that science-based solutions to improve the efficiency of nutrient use can optimize food production while minimizing pollution. To achieve the needed large increases in nutrient use efficiency, however, technological developments must be accompanied by policies that recognize the complex economic and social factors affecting farmer decision-making and national policy priorities. Farmers need access to affordable nutrient supplies and support information, and the costs of improving efficiencies and avoiding pollution may need to be shared by society through innovative policies. Success will require interdisciplinary partnerships across public and private sectors, including farmers, private sector crop advisors, commodity supply chains, government agencies, university research and extension, and consumers

Nitrogen Loss Estimation Worksheet (NLEW): An Agricultural Nitrogen Loading Reduction Tracking Tool

The Neuse River Basin in North Carolina was regulated in 1998, requiring that all pollution sources (point and nonpoint) reduce nitrogen (N) loading into the Neuse Estuary by 30%. Point source N reductions have already been reduced by approximately 35%. The diffuse nature of nonpoint source pollution, and its spatial and temporal variability, makes it a more difficult problem to treat. Agriculture is believed to contribute over 50% of the total N load to the river. In order to reduce these N inputs, best management practices (BMPs) are necessary to control the delivery of N from agricultural activities to water resources and to prevent impacts to the physical and biological integrity of surface and ground water. To provide greater flexibility to the agricultural community beyond standard BMPs (nutrient management, riparian buffers, and water-control structures), an agricultural N accounting tool, called Nitrogen Loss Estimation Worksheet (NLEW), was developed to track N reductions due to BMP implementation. NLEW uses a modified N-balance equation that accounts for some N inputs as well as N reductions from nutrient management and other BMPs. It works at both the field- and county-level scales. The tool has been used by counties to determine different N reduction strategies to achieve the 30% targeted reduction

The role of interface organizations in science communication and understanding

“Interface” organizations are groups created to foster the use of science in environmental policy, management, and education. Here we compare interface organizations that differ in spatial scale, modes of operation, and intended audience to illustrate their diversity and importance in promoting the application of science to environmental issues. There has been exciting recent growth in the nature and extent of activities by interface organizations and in new methods for science communication and engagement. These developments can help scientists – who face personal and institutional challenges when attempting to convey the results of their research to various audiences – interact with society on specific issues in specific places, and with a wide range of non-traditional audiences. The ongoing mission for these organizations should be to move beyond simply increasing awareness of environmental problems to the creation of solutions that result in genuine environmental improvements

Walnut Creek and Squaw Creek Watersheds, Iowa: National Institute of Food and Agriculture–Conservation Effects Assessment Project

The goal of the Iowa National Institute of Food and Agriculture–Conservation Effects Assessment Project (NIFA–CEAP), Economic and Water Quality Effects of Multiple Conservation Practices in Three Midwest Watersheds, was to provide science-based information to policymakers concerning the water quality benefits and economic costs of implementing multiple agricultural conservation practices in these watersheds. The three primary watersheds were (1) Walnut Creek Watershed in south central Iowa and the Squaw Creek Watershed (which was the “control watershed” within the paired-watershed study), (2) Sny Magill Creek Watershed and Bloody Run Creek Watershed (which was also a “control watershed” within that paired-watershed study), and (3) the South Fork of the Iowa River Watershed in north central Iowa

The role of interface organizations in science communication and understanding

“Interface” organizations are groups created to foster the use of science in environmental policy, management, and education. Here we compare interface organizations that differ in spatial scale, modes of operation, and intended audience to illustrate their diversity and importance in promoting the application of science to environmental issues. There has been exciting recent growth in the nature and extent of activities by interface organizations and in new methods for science communication and engagement. These developments can help scientists – who face personal and institutional challenges when attempting to convey the results of their research to various audiences – interact with society on specific issues in specific places, and with a wide range of non‐traditional audiences. The ongoing mission for these organizations should be to move beyond simply increasing awareness of environmental problems to the creation of solutions that result in genuine environmental improvements

Strengths and Limitations of Nitrogen Rate Recommendations for Corn and Opportunities for Improvement

Nitrogen fixation by the Haber–Bosch process has more than doubled the amount of fixed N on Earth, significantly influencing the global N cycle. Much of this fixed N is made into N fertilizer that is used to produce nearly half of the world’s food. Too much of the N fertilizer pollutes air and water when it is lost from agroecosystems through volatilization, denitrification, leaching, and runoff. Most of the N fertilizer used in the United States is applied to corn (Zea mays L.), and the profitability and environmental footprint of corn production is directly tied to N fertilizer applications. Accurately predicting the amount of N needed by corn, however, has proven to be challenging because of the effects of rainfall, temperature, and interactions with soil properties on the N cycle. For this reason, improving N recommendations is critical for profitable corn production and for reducing N losses to the environment. The objectives of this paper were to review current methods for estimating N needs of corn by: (i) reviewing fundamental background information about how N recommendations are created; (ii) evaluating the performance, strengths, and limitations of systems and tools used for making N fertilizer recommendations; (iii) discussing how adaptive management principles and methods can improve recommendations; and (iv) providing a framework for improving N fertilizer rate recommendations

Innovation Premium of Water Quality Trading for Jordan Lake, NC

In this paper, the amount of farmers’ trading cost in Jordan Lake will be estimated based on farmers’ willingness to accept (WTA) for participating in water quality trading (WQT) program and then the amount of innovative premium will be interpreted based on the trading cost. In order to achieve this goal, a survey was done by person in Jordan Lake watershed from 90 farmers